A variety of vehicles include restraint systems that can restrain operators or passengers during crashes or other acceleration/deceleration events. In general, most components used in these restraint systems are relatively robust. Even so, many of these components can be damaged or otherwise compromised by crashes or other load producing events. For example, even relatively minor crashes can subject nylon webbing to loads that may reduce the webbing's performance in a subsequent crash. Additionally, although the forces generated by individual minor crashes may not be significant, the repeated application of these forces via significant numbers of individual minor crashes may damage or compromise the performance of more robust components of the restraint systems (e.g., D-rings, mounting brackets, mounting bolts, etc.).
Some types of vehicles can subject their associated restraint systems to significant forces more frequently than other types of vehicles. For example, off-road recreational utility vehicles (RUVs) are often driven in manners that subject the associated restraint systems to significant loads, including loads sustained during aggressive driving over rough terrain and loads sustained via minor crashes. These loads can damage components of the restraint systems, and a routine visual inspection may not be sufficient to determine whether a component has been compromised. Additionally, damaged or compromised components may be located in positions where they are not visible without the removal or disassembly of other components. Moreover, multi-passenger vehicles that are engaged in accidents may not be fully occupied, and the restraint systems in the unoccupied seats may be unnecessarily replaced because there is no way to determine if they were subjected to a significant load that could compromise their performance. The unnecessary replacement of restraint systems can be particularly expensive in mass-transit vehicles, charter buses, and other high capacity vehicles.